BOLTS light it up, even up

LUCENA , Philippines — The Meralco Bolts made sure there’s sufficient power source to survive a gig here.

Charged up for a must-win Game 2 on the road, the hot-shooting Bolts outduelled the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 104-102, to make it a 1-1 affair in the PBA Governors’ Cup title series last night at a packed Quezon Convention Center here.

The Bolts, who endured hours of travel and Ginebra’s built-in edge in supporters, broke a road trip curse dating back to the 2018 Philippine Cup where it faltered against the Gin Kings in two previous outings in Lucena plus two other out-of-town assignments.

Blowing cold after a torrid first half that saw them go up by 19, Meralco’s second unit led by John Pinto, Nico Salva, Bryan Faundo and Anjo Caram kept the Bolts afloat in the face of a furious Ginebra rally and then turned to the usual suspects Allen Durham, Baser Amer  Raymond Almazan, and Chris Newsome for the mop-up.

Durham (21 points, 18 rebounds and six assists), Amer (17 markers spiked by five triples), Newsome (17), Almazan (15-9) and Pinto (12, all on treys) and Salva (nine) starred in a balanced attack for the victorious Bolts, who greatly benefitted from a hot 42 percent clip from beyond the arc (16-of-32). 

Justin Brownlee fired 35 in the losing cause, his milestone ascension as the league’s new all-time high three-point shooting import past Lamont Strothers spoiled.

Responding to coach Norman Black’s challenge to hit their long bombs after a sour shooting in their 87-91 Game 1 loss, the Bolts, led by surprise package Pinto, rained treys on the Gin Kings and zoomed ahead.

Pinto knocked down his first four attempts from beyond the arc while Durhan made three of his as Meralco created separation in the first half, 61-42, before settling with a 63-46 lead at the break.

It was the biggest lead in a PBA finals since Meralco’s 54-37 halftime tear in Game 6 of the 2017 edition. 

Coming from the break, Ginebra unleashed a searing assault and caught up at 70-all but Meralco regrouped, wrested control back, and never relinquished all the way to the thrilling finish.

The scores: 

Meralco 104 – Durham 21, Amer 17, Newsome 17, Almazan 15, Pinto 12, Salva 9, Caram 5, Quinto 5, Faundo 3, Hodge 0, Hugnatan 0, Maliksi 0.

Ginebra 102 – Brownlee 35, Pringle 23, Aguilar 18, Tenorio 10, Slaughter 6, Thompson 4, Caguioa 4,  Mariano 2, Devance 0, Caperal 0, Dela Cruz 0.

Quarterscores: 36-21, 63-46, 82-76, 104-102.